ELE MENTS Printed for JOHN BELL and WILLIAM CREECH ; M,DCC,LXXXV.. Ct BG THE couraged by wife Princes, not fingly for private amusement, but for their beneficial influence in fociety. By uniting different ranks in the fame elegant pleasures, they promote benevolence by cherishing love of order, they enforce fubmiffion to government: and by infpiring delicacy of feeling, they make regular government a double bleffing. [vi] THESE Confiderations embolden me to hope for your Majefty's patronage in behalf of the following work, which treats of the Fine Arts, and attempts to form a standard of tafte, by unfolding those principles that ought to govern the taste of every individual. IT is rare to find one born with fuch delicacy of feeling, as not to need inftruction it is equally rare to find one fo low in feeling, as not to be capable of inftruction. And yet, to refine our taste with refpect to beauties of art or of nature, is fcarce endeavoured in any feminary of learning; a lamentable defect, confidering how early in life tafte is fufceptible of culture, and how difficult to reform it if unhappily perverted. To furnish materials for fupplying that defect, was an additional motive for the prefent undertaking. To To promote the Fine Arts in Britain, has become of greater importance than is generally imagined. A flourishing commerce begets opulence; and opulence, inflaming our appetite for pleasure, is commonly vented on luxury, and on every sensual gratification: Selfishness * rears its head; becomes fafhionable; and, infecting all ranks, extinguishes the amor patria, and every spark of public fpirit. To prevent or to retard fuch fatal corruption, the genius of an Alfred cannot devise any means more efficacious, than the venting opulence upon the Fine Arts: riches fo employ'd, inftead of encouraging vice, will excite both public and private virtue. Of this happy effect, ancient Greece furnishes one shining inftance; and why should we despair of another in Britain ? IN the commencement of an auspicious reign, and even in that early period of life when pleasure commonly is the fole a 4 |